Core catcher



J. A. ZUBLIN CORE CATCHER v May 24, 1932.

Filed lJuly 3. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet w E TZ N WN fw J. A. ZUBLIN May 24,1932.

CORE CATCHER Filed Ju'ly 5, 1930 2 Sheets-ShamJ rTQe/vey.

PaieniedMey 24,1932 I PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. ZUBLIN, 0F LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA donn GATCHER Application inea July a, 1930. serial No.465,477.

My Vinvention relates to core barrels used in the well-drilling art fortaking samples of the subterranean strata, and it consists of type nowemployed has a plurality of upwardly extending spring fingers adapted tofrictionally engage the core when the core barrel is raised, and tobreak the core near where it projects from the bottom of the well, andto raise it to the top of the well.

During the forming of the core the spring fingers engage the core andhave a cutting action on the wall thereof. This action reduces thediameter of the core and breaks it into sections which must be properlyaligned when the core pieces are removed. v

The sprmg fingers are not positive 1n operation and usually a portion ofthe corel is lost, which of course means that the core record of thewell will be incomplete.

It is an object of my invention to provide a corebarrel in which acomplete, full-size core may be taken, and in which the diameter of thecore will not be reduced by the corecatching means.

It is another' object of my invention to provide Ia core barrel in whicha part of the core will not be lost by the core-catching means.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a core barrel having acore-catching means which, during the forming of the core, occupies a:position in which it will not engage the core to wear it down or breakit up.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a core barrelhaving-core-catching means which will move into core-gripplng positionupon the initial upward movementl .f of the core barrel and will causethe core to break at the lower end of the core barrel.

My invention in its broad concept provides a core-catching means whichincludes a mem- -in any type of core barrel. For illustrative sages 20formed in the head 12. Positioned ber positioned in the entrance of thecorereceiving barrel. This member is movable from a non-grippingposition during the forming of the core into a gripping position. v

In its preferred embodiments, the member '55 is made flexible or pliableand is moved into and from its different positions by friction of thecore, and the flexible member is more or less floating except when itis'in gripping position. During the forming of the core the flexiblemember of the preferred form of my invention is embedded in a body ofrotary mud which surrounds the core in the entrance. This prevents thecore from being worn or broken by the core-catching means.

In the course of thefollowing description, various additional objectsandespecial advantages will be emphasized. i

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view through a core barrel embodyingthe first form of my invention, the core-catching means being innon-gripping position. 75

Fig. 2 is a section like Fig. 1, with the corey. catching means ingripping position.

Figs. 3' and 4 are sections taken on the in- 'dic'ating lines of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, are fragmentary vertical sectional viewsshowingfour other embodiments of my invention.

The core-catching means of my invention, irrespective of its embodiment,may be used purposes I have shown a somewhat general type of core barrelwhich includes (as shown best in Fig. 1) a shell 11, to the lower end ofwhich a head 12 is joined by means of a connector 14. The head 14 isinternally threaded at 15, and threadedly receives a threaded pin 16 ofa cutter body 17. Cutter wings 19 eX- tend outward from the cutter body17, they being supplied with rotary mud fluid by pas- 95 within theshell l1 1s a core-receiving barrel 22. the lower end of which has ashoulder 23 which rests between an internal annular ledge 24 of the body12 and the upper end of the threaded pin 16. The cutter body 17 has anentrance 26 of cylindrical cross-section which connects to the interiorof the core-receiving barrel 22. The entrance 26 is defined by acylindrical wall 27 and a conical or tapered wall 28.

The core identiied by the numeral 3() is formed by rotating the corebarrel, the wings 19 cutting away the bottom of the well around thecore. As the core 30 is formed it extends upward into the entrance 26and into the corcreceiving b arrel 22.

I will now describe the core-catching means which, of itself and incombination with the parts described, constitute my invention.

The form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, has one or more members 33which are lineal, eXible or pliable members. In these figures themembers 33 are link chains. One end of each chain 33 is secured tothecutter body 17 so that it rests in the entrance 26. A convenient way ofvattaching the chains 33 is to form openings 34 in the cutter body 17and secure the ends of the chains 33 by welded plugs 35 formed in theopenings 34.

The chains 33 are free in the entrance 26 and are caused to assume aposition in the entrance in accordance with the directionof friction orpressure against them. During the forming of the core, the chains 33assume the position shown in Fig. 1. Since the core 30 ismoving upwardthrough the entrance 26, and since the core barrel is rotating, ythechains 33 are caused to occupy an upward spiral position, or in otherwords, a

wrapped position around the core 30. The.

chains 33 are in the larger part of the entrance 26 where there is amplespace for them around the core. The rotary mud fluid which is suppliedto the core barrel and the cuttings and sediment enter the entrancearound the core 30 and pack in it as indicated i bythe numeral 38. Thechains 33 are practically embedded in the granular material 38, whichacts as a retaining means dfor the chains and holds them away Jfrom thecore,

' thus preventing a cutting down or breakage of the core.

When a length of core 30 has been formed, it may be raised to thesurface of the ground by raising the core barrel. When the core barrelis raised, the chains 33 move from the position shown in Fig. 1 into agripping position as shown in Fig. 2. The chains in this grippingposition may still be wrapped around the core, but the free ends thereofrest in the tapered part of the entrance 26 and are caused to firmly.grip the core 30, so as to sever it from the bottom of the well andenable raising it to the 'surface of the ground. The packed granularmaterial 38, so far as I can now determine, assists in the gripping `ofthe core.

r It is a part of the invention that the chains wrap themselves aroundthe core, and they do this because the friction is in a spiral orhelical direction. c

60 may or may not rotate, as desired, depending upon the closeness offit in the counterbore 61. If the ring 60 rotates, the chains 33 willoperate'the same as the chains in Figs. 1 to 4, but if the ring 60remains nonrotatable, the chains will occupy axial positions, as shown.Notwithstanding, the chains will occupy either non-gripping or grippingpositions-and Operate in about the same manmanner as the core-catchingmeans ofv Figs. 1 to 4.

In Fig. 6 I show a form of my invention in which both ends of thecore-catching members are attached to the cutter body wall at each end,thusleaving loops 64, as distinguished from the two forms of myinvention already described, in which one end of each chain is free.

In Fig. 7 the core-catching members are provided in the form of flexiblesprings which are connected at each end by welded plugs 34, as in theother forms of my invention. These springs are movable by the frictionor pressure of the core from non-gripping position into grippingposition and vice versa. y

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 has the core-catching means inthe form of iiexible cables 67. In order that the cables 67 may grip thecore 30, they'may be provided with enlargements 68 which may be weldedthereon. l

I claim as my invention:

. 1. In a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceivinofv barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, thecombination with: core-catching means including a chain-like membermovable from non-gripping to gripping positions.

2. In a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, thecombination with: core-catching means including a chain-like member,free at one end and secured to said core barrel at the other end,movable from non-gripping toI gripping positions.

3. In a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, thecombination with: core-catching means including a ychain-like member,secured to said core barrel at both ends and. forming, a loop, movablefrom .nn-gripping to gripping positions. Y

4. In a core'barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core entersV said core-receiving barrel, saidentrance having a tapered portion, the combination with: core-catchingmeans including a chain-like member in said entrance, said member beingmovable by said core from a non-gripping position into a grippingposition in said tapered portion of said entrance'.v

5. In. a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, saidentrance having a tapered portion, the combination with: core-catchingmeans including.a chain-like member in said entrance adapted to wraparound said core, said member being movable by said core from anon-,gripping position into a'gripping position in said tapered portionof said entrance.

6. In a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, saidentrance-having atapered portion, the combination with: core-catchingmeans including a.' chain-like member in said entrance, saidmember-being movable by said core from a non-gripping position into agripping. position in'said tapered portion of said entrance; and anenlargement on said member to facilitate gripping of said core.

7. ln a core barrel having a cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, saidentrance having a tapered portion, the combination with: core-catchingmeans including a chain-like member in said entrance adapted to Wraparound said c'ore,

said member being movable by said core.

from a non-gripping'position into ay gripping position in said taperedportion of said er1-- trance; and an enlargement on said member tofacilitate gripping-of said core. l

8. In a core barrel havinga. cutter, a corereceiving barrel, and anentrance through Which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, saidentrance having a tapered portion, the combination with: core-catchingmeans including a iexible member consisting of a link chain inv saidentrance, said member being movablel by said core4 from a non-grippingposition into a gripping position in said tapered portion of saidentrance.

9. ln a cutter for use on a core barrel: a body having an entrancepassage: cutting means on said body; and a chain-like member secured insaid entrance.

l0. ln a cutter for use on a core barrel: a body having an entrancepassage: cutting means on'said body; and a chain-like member secured insaid entrance, one end of said member being secured to said body.

1l. In a core barrel having a cutter, a corerccciving barrel, and anentrance through which the core enters said core-receiving barrel, thecombination W1th: a cha1n-like member disposed in said entrance andhaving a portionof pliable'characteristics which enable it to embed.itself in the granular mateday of July, 1930.

. JOHN A. ZUBLIN.

